Understanding of HIV/AIDS among children of HIV-infected mothers: Implications for prevention, disclosure, and bereavement

In this study we assessed understanding of HIV/AIDS in 83 6- through 11-year-old children from families in which the mother was infected with HIV and 148 same-age children from families in which the mother was self-reported as not infected with HIV. The children were from economically disadvantaged, urban, African American neighborhoods where individuals are considered to be at high risk for contracting HIV. Between-group differences in the level of understanding of HIV/AIDS, as well as the endorsement of misconceptions about HIV/AIDS, were examined. Additionally, child-related predictors of understanding of HIV/AIDS were investigated, including the child's age, sex, understanding of illness in general, and cognitive competence. The average level of understanding across groups was substantially lower than that reported in previous studies with demographically different samples. Although no differences in understanding of HIV/AIDS emerged between the 2 groups, differences did emerge for 10- and 11-year-olds when misconceptions about HIV/AIDS were examined: Children whose mothers are infected with HIV reported fewer misconceptions than children whose mothers are not infected. Different predictor patterns emerged for the 2 groups. The implications of these results for the development of HIV/AIDS prevention programs, disclosure of maternal HIV infection to children, and children's bereavement subsequent to the loss of their mother to AIDS-related illness are discussed.